Pep Guardiola will not speak to Gianluigi Donnarumma about his four yellow cards in 10 Premier League appearances, insisting the Manchester City goalkeeper is “adult enough” to manage his conduct. Three of the Italian’s bookings have been for dissent, including in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Leeds, and the other for time-wasting.
If the 26-year-old is cautioned in City’s next six games, he will become the first goalkeeper to receive a one-match ban for accumulating five Premier League bookings. Although 12 goalkeepers have received five or more cautions in a season, none did so within the first 19 league matches, the threshold for a ban.
Guardiola was asked whether he would speak to Donnarumma, a summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain. “No, he is adult enough,” the manager said. “For sure, we will step-by-step understand things in the league and new behaviours.”
Meanwhile, Guardiola praised Phil Foden, who scored twice against Leeds, including the winner. Foden’s contract expires in 2027, and Guardiola said: “Hopefully he can stay all his career here. He is a special player, a Man City fan from the academy.”
Foden has three goals in 11 league appearances this season, second at City to Erling Haaland’s 14. Guardiola believes Foden can reach the high teens in goals, as he did two seasons ago with 19. “The years where we’ve been successful, not just the strikers [but] especially wingers, attacking midfielders [score many],” Guardiola said. “So we need that.”
Rodri remains unavailable for City’s trip to Fulham on Tuesday due to a hamstring problem.
